Queenstown runs on adrenaline: the birthplace of bungee jumping also offers skydiving, jet boating, and killer downhill slopes. Matakauri Lodge & Spa is just an eight-minute drive from the action, but feels a world away, set among cabbage trees and Douglas firs.

An extensive upgrade and expansion in 2010 transformed the ground floor of the 82-room Sofitel Queenstown into a Parisian-style lobby and lounge, as befitting Sofitel's Gallic heritage. The sophisticated property is a quick stroll away from the top-notch restaurants and cafes of the lively cente